Improvement in tide-water wheels



UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

FREEMAN F. MYRICK, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN TlDE-WATER WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 6,193, dated March 20, 1849.

To o/ZZ whom t may concer/L.-

Be it known that I, FREEMAN F. MYRICK, of Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of ),iassacliusetts, have invented a new and useful Tide-flieel or lVater-Vheel Peculiarly Adapted to Tide-Currents; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and eXact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference heilig had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a transverse section of the wheel, frame, and floats by which it is supported; and Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the waterwheel only.

This inventionis calculated to derive power from an ordinary tide-current wit-,hout the aid of a head or fall of water; and it consists not so much in the construction of the waterwheel as in the mode of mounting and adjusting it.

Two boats or floats A A are arranged parallel to each other at such a dist-ance apart as to accommodate the water-wheel between them. Over these boats a scaffold B B is supported by posts and braces, and over this is a horizontal beam C C. The heels of the two boats are connected by a horizontal plank or platform, on the center of which is a concave block D, in the cavity of which is placed a semi-globe S, which serves as a bottom bearing of a vertically-inclined shaft E, on the head of which is mounted a gear-wheel F.

Froin the shaft E, above the surface of the water, a series of eight or more arms project in different directions. To these arms are attached a series of large float-boards G H, and the shaft being adjusted in an inclined or oblique position the lioat-boards become immersed on one side, as G, while those opposite are raised above the surface, as H.

The shaft has its upperbearingin the block I, which is attached to a circular horizontal platform I J, resting on the scaffold B B, and to one side of the platform is attached a lever which terminates at K, and by means of which the platform is occasionally made to revolve on its center.

A small upright shaft M is mounted upon the center of the platform and supports a small gear-wheel N, which is driven by the wheel F. It will be seen by this arrangement that the position of the tide-wheel may be changed by means of the lever K revolving or changing the circular platform, yet without disconnecting the two gear-wheels.

In the position represented in the drawing Fig. 1 the direction of the current is supposed to be such as to propel the float-board G from the eye of the spectator; but when the tide-current changes the lever K is carried round to o, by which the float-board H becomes immersed and the motion of the wheel will be the same as before; and when the mill is to be stopped, the lever being moved to a position between these points, the current will have no influence on the wheel to move it in either direction. The boats A A are to be securely moored, so as to allow the water afree passage between them. The shaft M inaysnpport and carry the millstones of a corn-mill; or the motion and power of the water-wheel may be conducted by a long shaft or belt to a mill or machinery on the shore.

Fig. 3 is a top view of the horizontal revolving platform with the two gearwheels attached thereto.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the shaft E in an in- 'clined position, so that while the buckets of FREEMAN F. MYRICK.

IVitnesses:

OLIvEE PORTER, Crans M. STIMsoN. 

